Carl Sandburg




Napoleon

The little boy blew bubbles
Floating the air to glisten and shine
With a rainbow joy and airiness silken:
       They floated and broke and were gone.

The man blew bubbles.
Made nations and kings and captains
And armies that marched and slaughtered
And laughed at the blood on their hands —
       But the armies and kings and captains
       Are broken and vanished and gone.